‘November Man’ and ‘As Above’ Are No Match for ‘Guardians’ as Summer Draws to Close

Digital marketing helps “As Above” exceed estimates, but it’s no match for “Guardians”

Low-budget horror flick “As Above/So Below” and Pierce Brosnan thriller “November Man” won’t put up much of a fight against box-office champ “Guardians of the Galaxy” over Labor Day Weekend.

Thriller “As Above/So Below” will slightly exceed analysts’ $10 million weekend estimates. On Friday, the Universal film’s box office hit $3.2 million and is expected to generate a $11.3 take over the holiday for a possible fourth-place finish.

“As Above” may run neck-and-neck with Warner Bros. teen weepy, “If I Stay.” The teen melodrama took in $2.6 million in box office receipts on Friday and is headed for a $11.8 million weekend and a potential third-place finish. Part of “As Above’s” box office performance is due to Legendary and Universal’s promotional campaign, which has been data-driven and largely digitally-based rather than TV-focused. It was designed to maximize impact with horror fans and Hispanic moviegoers, who are the targeted demographic.

Also read: ‘November Man,’ ‘As Above/So Below’ Off to Slow Starts at Box Office

“November Man” is expected to perform just slightly below expectations. Relativity’s spy film brought in $2.2 on Friday evening, placing it on track for a $9.8 million weekend and a potential sixth-place finish. Analysts had estimated a $10 million opening over the long weekend.

But neither debut will pose any threat to Marvel’s status as king of the summer box office.

“Guardians” took in $3.8 million on Friday evening putting it on track for yet another first-place weekend. Business is expected to pick up over the holiday for the sci-fi comedy as parents and kids take a break from back-to-school shopping. That puts the film on pace to take in nearly $20 million over the four-day weekend, up from last weekend’s three-day total of $17.2 million.

Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” saw $2.7 million in box office receipts on Friday, with expectations that it will come in second at $14.8 million over the four days. “Let’s Be Cops” will round out the top five. Fox’s buddy cop comedy brought in $2 million Friday night and is headed toward a $10 million weekend.

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” is still holding strong with older audiences. The Dreamworks/Participant film will remain in the top 10 with a potential $6 million weekend.

“November Man” earned a B+ cinema score and the domestic distribution rights were bought by Relativity for $3 million.  The Roger Donaldson-directed adaptation of the popular Bill Granger novel follows a former CIA agent Peter Devereaux, who is lured out of retirement for a final mission to protect a key witness (former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko) in a case involving Russian war crimes. That puts him at odds with the Kremlin and his former CIA protege, played by Luke Bracey.

Also read: Chiller ‘As Above, So Below’ Tries to Put Scare Into ‘Guardians’ at Box Office

“As Above/So Below” is the first Legendary Pictures film to be released under the new partnership with Universal Pictures after the film company ended its long-running deal with Warner Bros. last summer. The movie is Legendary’s first foray into the horror genre, and its $5 million production budget is a departure as well. Thomas Tull‘s film company is usually synonymous with big-budget blockbusters like “Godzilla,” “Man of Steel” and the “Batman” and “Hangover” movies.

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